National Film Registry
United States | founder = | defunct = | hq_location_city = | hq_location_country = | area_served = | key_people = | products = | owner = | num_employees = | num_employees_year = | parent = Library of Congress | website = }} The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) selection of films deserving of preservation. The NFPB, established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, was reauthorized by acts of Congress in 1992, 1996, 2005, and again in October 2008. The NFPB's mission, to which the NFR contributes, is to ensure the survival, conservation, and increased public availability of America's film heritage. The 1996 law also created the non-profit National Film Preservation Foundation which, although affiliated with the NFPB, raises money from the private sector. Criteria The NFPB adds to the NFR up to 25 "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant films" each year, showcasing the range and diversity of American film heritage to increase awareness for its preservation. To be eligible for inclusion, a film must be at least ten years old. For the first selection in 1989, the public nominated almost 1,000 films for consideration. Members of the NFPB then developed individual ballots of possible films for inclusion. The ballots were tabulated into a list of 25 films which was then modified by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington and his staff at the Library for the final selection. Since 1997, members of the public have been able to nominate up to 50 films a year for the NFPB and Librarian to consider. The NFR includes films ranging from Hollywood classics to orphan films. A film is not required to be feature-length, nor is it required to have been theatrically released in the traditional sense. In addition, television programs, commercials, and foreign films are not excluded from consideration, although American films are given preference. The Registry contains newsreels, silent films, student films, experimental films, short films, music videos, films out of copyright protection or in the public domain, film serials, home movies, documentaries, animation and independent films. As of the 2017 listing, there are 725 films in the Registry. Currently, the earliest listed film is Newark Athlete (1891), and the most recent is 13 Lakes (2004). Counting the 11 multi-year serials in the NFR once each (as the NFR does) by year of completion, the year with the most films selected is 1939, with 19 films from that year chosen. The time between a film's debut and its selection varies greatly. The longest span is 121 years; Edison Kinetographic Record of a Sneeze was originally released in 1894 and selected in 2015. The shortest span is the minimum 10 years; this distinction is shared by Raging Bull, Do the Right Thing, Goodfellas, Toy Story, Fargo and 13 Lakes. Films '' is one of the earliest U.S. films. Thomas Edison made this 5-second film.]] '' is the first known film with live-recorded sound. ]] '' was one of the first films shown commercially to the public. ]] '' was both the first feature-length picture (running at almost 100 minutes) as well as film's first bona-fide financial success (grossing between $100,000-$750,000), sparking the earliest large-scale discussion about the medium.]] '' used a variety of editing techniques that were becoming popular at the time of its release.]] '' became the first popular cartoon. ]] '' developed innovative camera techniques and special effects and became Hollywood's first successful feature film, being cited as the first "super-production".]] '' was made by D. W. Griffith partly in response to controversy over the racism seen in The Birth of a Nation.]] 's 1921 film The Kid not only became the first successful comedy feature film, but also demonstrated the compatibility between dramatic and comedic elements, cementing Chaplin's reputation.]] '' revolutionized the documentary film with its large scale production, though it continues to receive controversy for staging several of the events it depicts.]] hanging from the clock in Safety Last! has been referenced by numerous media, with a number of films including similar events in their plots.]] '' featured extensive makeup for its main character. ]] in The Jazz Singer, the first feature film to include scenes of fully synchronized sound.]] '' became highly influential over future depictions of the title character. Its simultaneously-filmed Spanish-language version is unique among foreign-language versions for being preserved by the NFR as well.]] '' sparked a vogue for gangster films during the early 1930s and established Edward G. Robinson as the quintessential "movie mobster".]] '' was the first U.S.-produced animated film with a running time over the standard 7-8 minutes, predating Disney's Snow White by a year.]] " sequence from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first American animated feature film, created by Walt Disney, and showing the seven dwarfs (Doc, Happy, Grumpy, Bashful, Sneezy, Dopey, Sleepy).]] '' startled audiences when Judy Garland seamlessly transitioned from black-and-white to color.]] '' is the highest-grossing film in box-office history.]] '' has long been acclaimed for its technical merits.]] '' (1940) was Charlie Chaplin's first sound film after his era of silent films.]] '' is considered by many critics and scholars (including the American Film Institute) to be the greatest film ever made.100 years, AFI website]] '' has six lines of dialogue on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes, more than any other film.]] '' was a series of propaganda films directed by Frank Capra explaining to soldiers why the United States was involved in World War II.]] '' disappointed both critics and audiences while in theaters, but frequent television showings have transformed it into one of the most beloved and widely referenced films of all time.]] '' was a controversial documentary blocked from public distribution for 35 years.]] '' is a 1950s science fiction film.]] in the controversial High Noon, which was said to be an allegory on McCarthyism.]] '' was released in theaters less than one month after the main actor, James Dean, died in a car accident. ]] '' was an influence on directors including Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and David Lean.]] , various visual effects were used to create the illusion of Moses (Charlton Heston) parting the Red Sea.]] refused to watch the completed ''Jailhouse Rock after Judy Tyler was killed in a car accident a few weeks before the film's release.Victor, Adam, The Elvis Encyclopaedia, p.269]] , Dick van Dyke plays Bert, the chimney sweeper.]] '' was the first film to feature the modern interpretation of zombies.]] Number of films by release year This table is through the 2018 induction list (727 films total). For purposes of this list, multi-year serials are counted only once (as they are in the Registry) by year of completion. See also * National Recording Registry * ''These Amazing Shadows, a 2011 documentary film that tells the history and importance of the registry References External links * National Film Registry homepage * Classic Movie Hub: National Film Registry List * [https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/these-amazing-shadows/ These Amazing Shadows] site for Independent Lens on PBS Category:1988 establishments in the United States Category:1988 in American cinema Category:Cultural infrastructure completed in 1988 Category:Cinema of the United States Category:Film archives in the United States Category:History of film Category:Library of Congress Category:Reference material lists Category:United States National Film Registry films